There are a variety of nitro RC vehicle types you can purchase that will be best suited for different applications. The main choices you have to make are between off-road or on-road and 2- or 4-wheel drive.
Off-road
Buggy
Buggies are designed for the off-road RC race track, so if you have access to one, it might be a great option for you. Buggies are the most popular class for nitro RC racing, so there are quite a few high-end expensive kits available that will cost $1,000+ to complete. Below are the RTR options for beginners that want a buggy to take to the track.
The most popular basher-grade nitro RC buggy is the Kyosho Inferno NEO 3.0. It is has good parts support online and is typically in stock, unlike other RTR buggy models.
Truggy/Stadium Truck
Truggies (aka stadium trucks) are versatile platforms that perform great on the race track, bashing on-road, or bashing off-road. Unfortunately, the only true race-style RTR truggy left on the market is the HPI Vorza F4.6, which is often out of stock. The Traxxas stadium trucks are great for bashing on- or off-road, but don’t expect too much from them on the race track.
The two most popular nitro RC stadium trucks are the Traxxas Nitro Rustler and the Traxxas Jato 3.3. If you think you’ll be doing more off-road driving, consider the Rustler. If you think your driving will be largely on-road, consider the Jato.
Monster Truck
Monster trucks are the quintessential off-road RC bashing platform. With large tires, long suspension travel, and incredible ride height, a monster truck can go anywhere and hit any jump.
If you think you’ll be doing a lot of driving on grass, I highly suggest you consider a monster truck.
You can drive a monster truck on-road, but it can be underwhelming as they aren’t as fast or nimble as a buggy/truggy and they are prone to flip overs. This can be mitigated with tuning and on-road tires, but a monster truck will never perform as great as a truggy on-road.
If you are buying your first nitro RC monster truck, get the Traxxas T-Maxx 3.3. The T-Maxx has been around for a long time, is sold by most hobby shops, and there is tons of information about it online.
If you want something a little higher quality with better performance, get the HPI Savage X 4.6 or Savage XL 5.9. These are a little more expensive than the T-Maxx, but are higher quality.
If you want something that drives more like a real monster truck, check out the Kyosho USA-1 GP. The USA-1 has a solid rear axle, which makes it respond more realistically when driving.
Short Course Truck
Short Course Trucks became popular in the electric RC world because they are well-suited for casual off-road racing. Nitro RC racing isn’t as popular as electric, so it is highly unlikely there is a nitro short course racing class at your local track. That said, short course nitro RCs are great for bashing off-road and perform fine on-road as well. Enthusiasts that like short course trucks are typically attracted by their realistic looks and driving dynamics.
You have two options for a nitro short course truck, both offered by Traxxas:
- Traxxas Nitro Slash (1/10 scale, 2wd, RTR)
- Traxxas Slayer Pro (1/8 scale, 4wd, RTR)
The Nitro Slash is a great place to start in the nitro RC hobby, but if you know you want 4wd and have the cash to pay for it, get the Slayer Pro.
On-Road
Touring
Touring cars perform and look similar to street cars or stock cars. They have minimal ride height, stiff suspension, and tires that are designed for on-road performance. A touring car is a great option if you know you will be driving your nitro RC on hard, flat surfaces like a street or parking lot.
You have three options if you want a new nitro RC on-road touring car:
Get the Kyosho Inferno GT2 if you want the highest quality RTR touring car available.
Get the Serpent SRX8 GT RTR On-Road Nitro Sedan if want an RTR touring car, but want to spend a little less than the Kyosho.
Get the Kyosho FW-06 Nitro Touring Car Kit if you want a 1/10 scale, 4wd nitro RC that you get to build yourself (note that you’ll need to purchase other components to complete the build).
Rally
A rally car is similar to a touring car, except it has a little more ride height and forgiving suspension that allows it to be run on rougher on-road surfaces as well as relatively smooth off-road surfaces. A rally car is a great option if most of your driving will be done on rougher roads and hard packed dirt surfaces.
The only nitro rally car option at this time is the HPI WR8 3.0 RTR Nitro Rally Car (1/8 scale, 4wd, RTR). Unfortunately, this model is frequently on backorder.
2-Wheel Drive (2wd) vs 4-Wheel Drive (4wd)
4wd nitro RCs are easier to drive than 2wd nitro RCs. They handle better and have more traction when accelerating, which means you can be a little more aggressive with the throttle. In off-road or loose conditions, 4wd will accelerate noticeably faster than 2wd.
The main drawback to 4wd is that the vehicles are typically more expensive to buy and maintain. There are more parts that go into a 4wd nitro RC. Not only do you have to pay for those additional parts when buying the vehicle, you have to maintain those parts and fix them if they break.
Another consideration is the driving style of 4wd vs 2wd. Some like the driving experience of a 4wd nitro RC while others enjoy the challenge of 2wd.
Get 4wd if you want to drive your nitro RC in loose conditions as fast as possible while hammering down on the throttle.
Get 2wd if you want a nitro RC that is a little simpler, less expensive, and more challenging to drive.
It is helpful to know your preference as it will narrow down your choices of nitro RCs to buy. Note that the vast majority of nitro RCs in-production today are 4wd, including all on-road, monster truck, and buggy models.
Additional Info
- The Ultimate Beginner Guide to Getting Started With RC Cars (HorizonHobby.com)